Duty free shopping at Entebbe

Question

Hi,

I'm off to Uganda in a couple of weeks for 3 weeks holiday flying from Australia with a short stopover in Dubai.

I need to pick up a bottle of scotch for the tour operator and wouldn't mind picking up a few bottles of duty free wine to enjoy while we're there too.

Does anyone know if there is a duty-free shop at Entebbe airport that I can buy alcohol from before going through customs to leave the airport? I bought some Waragi Gin when departing Uganda last time but I don't remember seeing the duty-free shop on arrival. BTW, the Gin never ended up making it back to Australia, it got taken off me at the boarding gate at Bangkok because of Australia's policy of not allowing more than 100ml of liquid as carry on even though it was in a sealed DF bag!

I could buy it leaving Australia and carry it in hand-luggage but I'm not 100% sure that I won't have it taken off me coming through Dubai. Each airport and boarding gate seems to have a different policy depending on where you're headed.

mfuwe · Accepted Answer

I don't recall seeing a Duty Free at Arrivals.

What about in Dubai?

The 'no liquids' rule should be OK as you are buying Airside on your last boarding. You got 'hit' in BKK as this was not where you bought it.

Happens almost everywhere when you change planes.

Put purchases in your checked luggage, well wrapped.

monker25 · Answer

After immigration on your left you can find a duty free shop and they have most of the vodkas but i am not sure if you can get bottle of scotch at this point.

Ngonshi · Answer

Hey Mfuwe,

Yeah I didn't think I noticed a duty free at arrivals either although my tour operator is telling me otherwise. i think he's thinking of the one in the departure lounge.

I won't have an opportunity to get it into my checked luggage as I'll have to check this straight through from melbourne to EBB before I'm let loose in duty free so that just leaves Dubai. Your logic makes sense as this will be the boarding for the last leg. I might take my chances in Dubai. The staff in the shop should know if I'll be able to board a plane to EBB with it on me.

Is it only ever at the departure gate that there's a chance they'll take it?

Ngonshi · Answer

Good to know Monker, thanks

mfuwe · Answer

Good news indeed. "Not a lot of people know that!"

As to general Liquid rules through security. That is the pinch point. I have seen soem very tearful scenes where Security is at the gate and folks have bought Duty Free down the line and want to carry it on the 'next' plane too.

Amsterdam is such a place.

Where you are in transit and there is no Secuity between disembarking and boarding the next plane you should be OK.

Probably a good time to wish you a good trip and safe return.

Edited: 9 years ago

Ngonshi · Answer

Thanks, I can't wait! I hope you have a great trip to Namibia too

MBatSD · Answer

I can't think of anywhere to buy duty free in arrivals, so I would go with the advice to purchase in Dubai... or better still, on the Emirates flight to EBB itself.

As for wine, I would honestly wait until you get to Kampala, there are some excellent South African, Australian ;) and other wines from round the world available in all good supermarkets. Game at Lugogo is your easiest option. Your tour operator can get you there with ease as it's so central and easily accessible.

You'd get a very good wine for about £5-7.

Ivor S · Answer

Flemingo duty free operate shops in the airport you can certainly buy on arrival in Uganda ... www.dutyfreeonarrival.com/en/search/entebbe or to check your airline or Dubai prices, check Emirates.

mfuwe · Answer

Great link tiendasf. thanks.

MBatSD · Answer

Same avatar as on that web link. Confused as to what that site is? :S A forum, or run by you?

If you have knowledge of EBB arrivals tiendasdf, please explain where the shop is, as I cannot think where it's situated.

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Duty free shopping at Entebbe

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